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Raon smiled weakly as he watched the sea spirit glide through the water, its tail moving gently.
'It seems to be deliberately adjusting its speed for us.'
The sea spirit kept looking back to check if he, Evelyn, and Roenn were following. Its appearance as a young wolf pup made even its swimming look adorable.
[Raon. Should we get a wolf too when we retire?]
Evelyn sent a playful message about raising animals after they retired.
[You know I love animals. And they tend to like me too.]
She wiggled her fingers, saying she would like to raise various animals by the sea.
[I would be happy to help.]
Roenn laughed, pointing out that it would require a lot of work.
[We can talk about that later. Both of you, focus on moving for now.]
Raon nodded slightly as he glanced back at Evelyn and Roenn.
[We will soon reach where the turtle rock disappeared.]
They had thoroughly searched the area since the turtle rock vanished, but they could not find any path. Raon was worried that the sea spirit guiding them might also get lost. However, the spirit seemed to know another way, advancing while sniffing the ocean's scent even though the turtle rock was no longer visible.
The sea spirit began to move slowly, waving its furry front paws as if indicating that the important part was starting now. Its slower pace suggested that the headquarters of the White Blood Religion was not far away.
The sea spirit stopped in front of an underwater ravine where the bottom was not visible, its nose almost touching the sand. It trembled, its fur bristled, and its eyes were shaking.
'That must mean it's down there.'
But this ocean ravine was not in its previous memories. The shared memories of the sea spirit did not include this ravine at all. In fact, even the direction seemed quite different, so Raon was unsure of what had happened.
'Really...'
Could they have moved that massive city? He had suspected that since the turtle rock disappeared, but now he thought the White Blood Religion might have relocated its entire headquarters.
[We must move more cautiously from here on.]
Raon sent an aura message to Roenn and Evelyn, warning them to be more careful, then positioned himself next to the sea spirit, looking down into the ravine.
'I have a bad feeling.'
Even though there was nothing visible and he couldn't sense anything, he felt a constricting pressure in his chest coming from the misty darkness.
'Please.'
Raon took a deep breath and petted the sea spirit's head. The spirit nodded firmly, as if reinforcing its resolve, then jumped into the ravine.
-To think it would press on despite knowing the fear...
Wrath nodded in approval at the sea spirit that kept moving forward despite trembling with fear.
-This little one is better than most demons!
'Indeed.'
Raon nodded in agreement with Wrath's words.
'It has already repaid its debt by sharing memories of the White Blood Religion, providing ocean mana, and healing me.'
The sea spirit had given him mana superior to the highest quality elixirs, healed the wounds on his body, and informed him that the headquarters of the White Blood Religion was underwater. It had already repaid him more than enough for saving it, yet it continued to help. Raon submerged into the dark ocean ravine, following the sea spirit.
'The pressure is intensifying.'
Although he could easily bear it, the water pressure was becoming difficult for ordinary people or weak martial artists to withstand.
'Could it really be in a place like this?'
The headquarters of the White Blood Religion that he saw in the sea spirit's memories was massive enough to be called a city. It seemed incredible that it could exist in such deep waters, even with magical protection.
'Still...'
Raon bit his lip slightly as he watched the sea spirit struggling to move.
'Let's keep going.'
As he descended to the bottom of the dark ravine, trusting the spirit that had shown faith in him, he suddenly felt an unsettling presence that made him shiver.
'Blood energy!'
Just like in the port where the Ninth Apostles attacked, he sensed a very faint yet foul blood energy rising directly from below.
[Stop!]
Raon raised his hand to block Evelyn and Roenn.
[There’s a magical barrier from here on.]
It was magic for detecting intruders, but it was spread widely and densely, oscillating with the ocean currents, making it difficult to avoid.
[Finally, it's my turn to shine.]
Roenn laughed, moving forward as if he had also sensed the blood energy through his intuition.
[Can you move while avoiding it?]
Raon frowned slightly as he looked at Roenn.
[Unfortunately, this old man has spent his life doing such things. The currents change quickly, but the changes are consistent, so it shouldn't be too difficult.]
Roenn licked his lips, stating that it seemed the surrounding water was being manipulated by magic.
[Hmm...]
He closed his eyes, feeling the underwater currents only with his fingers before calmly opening his eyelids.
[From now on, just follow me. Since Lady Evelyn might be a bit slow, it would be good for Lord Raon to stay by her side.]
Roenn clasped his hands, telling them to follow closely while Raon looked after Evelyn.
[Understood.]
Raon nodded and moved Evelyn in front of him.
[Hold on tight!]
Evelyn insisted on making him hold her waist, saying he shouldn't let go.
[My waist is thin, right? It should be easy to grab!]
*Sigh...*
Raon closed his eyes tightly at Evelyn's comments even as they approached the headquarters of the White Blood Religion.
-How can she be so crazy even at a time like this...?
Wrath shook his head in disbelief as well.
[You two look good together.]
Roenn laughed, seeming pleased with Evelyn's bold approach.
[Please, just start moving...]
Raon called out to Roenn with a slightly deflated voice.
[Then, let's go.]
Roenn spoke in a solemn tone as if he hadn't been joking, and began descending into the ravine while avoiding the blood energy magic.
[Let's go too.]
[Yes! I can do anything with you by my side!]
Evelyn sent an aura message so loud that it made Raon’s head ring, seeming to be in high spirits.
[Stop thinking unnecessary thoughts and focus.]
Raon guided Evelyn forward, following the path Roenn was opening through the ocean. Although they weren't descending any further, the currents were getting stronger, making it harder to avoid the blood energy magic.
However, Roenn moved inward, avoiding all the detection magic of the White Blood Religion as if he knew every path, sensing the blood energy with his body.
[It seems we have arrived.]
He exhaled deeply as he looked at the brown sand covering the ground and the white mist filling the space above it.
'Is this...?'
Raon clenched his fist as he contemplated the massive white city shrouded in mist.
'The headquarters of the White Blood Religion.'
Although its shape seemed slightly different from when he entered to rescue Ogram, the otherworldly aura that felt unreal remained the same.
'Now, if I memorize the location and the state of this place and return... Huh?'
Raon abruptly stopped just as he was about to move forward to gather more information.
[Then I'll go a little further.]
[You can't!]
Raon raised his hand to block Roenn, who was about to move forward.
[If we get any closer, we'll definitely be detected.]
[What? It should be fine still...]
[No.]
He shook his head firmly, insisting that it absolutely could not be done.
[Eliminating our presence and avoiding the barrier is not enough.]
Raon bit his lip deeply as he looked at the sand on the ground where the headquarters of the White Blood Religion was built.
[We will be caught in plain sight of whoever is below!]
***
Martha swung her sword fiercely in the training field inside the Wise Martial Palace.
'Why isn't it working?'
It had clearly worked when fighting the Ninth Apostles...
When she fought her final battle against the Ninth Apostles, risking her life, the Crushing Ocean Sword moved as if it had a will of its own, slicing through the dense blood energy.
She had been practicing swordsmanship repeatedly to relive that memory, but the sensation of that moment did not return.
'I want to feel it again.'
The feeling of her body and mind becoming one with the sword.
When she joined with the Crushing Ocean Sword and took down the Ninth Apostles, she felt immense emotion and euphoria. She wanted to experience that feeling again, but she didn't know how.
'I guess I have no choice but to keep going even if it doesn't work.'
In the end, it meant that her swordsmanship was insufficient, so she had no choice but to practice until it worked. She began training again with the Crushing Ocean Sword. Before she realized it, the purple dawn had passed, and the day was breaking.
'Still not enough. Again.'
Martha was about to swing the Crushing Ocean Sword repeatedly under the rising sun.
"Aren't you overdoing it?"
Denier entered the training field, putting on his outer clothing.
"I have no choice."
Martha shook her head without stopping her training.
"We don't know when the war with the White Blood Religion might break out, so I need to get stronger as quickly as possible."
She also wanted to rest, but with little time left, she had to make the most of every minute and second.
"I understand how you feel, but excessive training can be harmful."
Denier shook his head, standing in front of Martha and telling her not to overdo it.
"Even this isn't enough if I want to land even one hit on the leader of the White Blood Religion."
Martha bit her lip, saying she would do anything if it meant saving her mother.
"I'm not expressing what I've understood properly yet."
"What do you mean by that?"
Denier lowered his chin as if asking her to explain adequately.
"I told you before that I killed the Ninth Apostles. The truth is, I didn't cut them down only with my own abilities."
"Correct. You said Raon finished them off."
"That's not what I mean..."
Martha shook her head, looking at her hand gripping the sword.
"When I clashed with the Ninth Apostles for the last time, the Crushing Ocean Sword changed its form by itself and tore through all their blood energy."
She explained the details of the situation that she hadn't shared before.
"The Crushing Ocean Sword?"
Denier raised his well-groomed eyebrows in surprise.
"Did you feel like you were cutting multiple sheets of paper when you cut through the blood energy?"
"Yes, exactly that!"
Martha nodded immediately.
"Do you know what happened?"
She approached Denier, asking him to explain the method.
"Try cutting my aura with the Crushing Ocean Sword while thinking back to when you fought the Ninth Apostles."
Denier created a solid aura shield over his palm and showed it to Martha.
"Alright."
Martha took a stance without hesitation, fully trusting Denier, and swung her sword downward. Her sword cut through Denier's aura like the bow of a ship cutting through waves, stopping just in front of his palm.
"This is it! Exactly this feeling!"
Martha exclaimed that it was the same sensation she had when she took down the Ninth Apostles, raising her fist.
"As the achievement of the Crushing Ocean Sword increases, it gains the ability to cut through subtle energies. It seems you have finally reached that level."
Denier applauded, congratulating Martha.
"That's how I cut through the blood energy..."
Martha's lips trembled slightly as if she finally understood.
"So, the ability to cut through subtle energies also strengthens as the achievement of the Crushing Ocean Sword increases?"
"That's correct."
Denier nodded, saying that, of course, the power increases with achievement in swordsmanship.
"Then I don't have time to be doing this!"
Martha swung her sword again, saying she needed to save even the time it took to breathe.
"Really..."
Denier nodded firmly while watching the very faint wound appearing on the palm that had held his aura.
"You are getting closer."
***
Raon swallowed hard at the calm yet majestic presence he sensed beneath the white city.
'There’s something there.'
He felt the presence of a massive being beneath the headquarters of the White Blood Religion. It was hiding with the ocean's energy like the spirit beside him, so they would have been caught immediately had they entered unknowingly. Strangely, even though he could sense it, he couldn't see it.
The sea spirit also seemed unable to go any further, trembling with its fur bristled as it pressed close to Raon's side.
[Can you tell us what's going on?]
[What is it? Say something!]
Both Roenn and Evelyn seemed unable to feel the presence beneath the headquarters of the White Blood Religion, probably because they were deep underwater.
-Khmm...
Wrath frowned as if he couldn't believe it.
-It's the largest this king has seen! To think it would be bigger than those lizards!
He let out a hollow laugh as he looked at the brown sand covering the ground, seeming to have understood the identity of the hidden being.
'Can you see what it is?'
Raon squinted as he looked at Wrath.
-Indeed.
Wrath nodded as if it were obvious.
-You should be able to see it with those new eyes of yours.
He gestured for Raon to use the Azure Clear Eye.
'Hmm...'
Raon briefly licked his lips before activating the Azure Clear Eye. As the blue energy filtered into his pupils, he saw the form of a massive being that had become one with—no, that had become the very sand beneath them.
'Insane...'
How could something so enormous exist? It seemed impossible, yet it also made sense. This explained why the location of the headquarters of the White Blood Religion now differed from the memories he had received from the sea spirit.
[Tell me too!]
Evelyn grabbed his hand, insisting that he explain it to her as well.
[It's hard to explain, so just watch closely.]
Raon took out a fish that had recently died and still retained some vitality from his subspace bag and pushed it forward. As the dead fish floated with the current, approaching the headquarters of the White Blood Religion...
A spear-like white tentacle rose from the ground that had seemed to be just brown sand, pulverizing the flesh of the fish that had been floating in the water.
The tentacle, larger than a building, was inscribed with the magic of the White Blood Religion in the form of text. It seemed to use that magic to detect enemies, moving at lightning speed to seek out other threats before sinking back into the ground and returning to the color of sand.
[This is...]
[If it has tentacles with suckers, could it be...!]
Roenn and Evelyn also seemed to realize what being was hiding beneath the city now, swallowing hard.
[Yes...]
Raon bit his lip deeply as he confirmed the existence of the mythical monster that carried the city on its back.
[It's a Kraken.]
The Kraken was carrying the headquarters of the White Blood Religion on its back.
-
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